Pilot? Student pilot? Future pilot? Interested in learning to fly? If you're reading this forum, you've got flying in your blood! SportPilotTalk is a great place to ask questions about this exciting new segment of (more) affordable aviation!

Thought my flying days were over until an old buddy called to tell me he just bought an Icon A5 and I had better get up to speed.It's been about six years since I've flown anything. Got my private lic. in 1980 and have owned a Cessna 150 & 172 then a Maule M4 & M6. my last 100 or so hrs were in a 1946 Ercoupe and a few in a jabiru. We plan on going through Icon's pilot course and learning the ways of an amphibian.I"ve never experienced a water landing so this will be another experience crossed of the bucket list for these two old timers.

I know next to nothing about light sport regulations or whats changed in the industry lately so I thought this might be a fun and informative forum to join.I see there's a forum for questions directed to an examiner so that will be my second posting. It seems there are a lot of confused people ( including professionals) out there offering conflicting views in regards to regulations and training. I'm betting that this forum will be full of knowledgeable folks willing to share accurate info. Anyone out there near Mendocino county Ca. ? We'll be based in Napa but will be in Mendocino and Sonoma county often. Hope to meet some of you.regardsJess

Welcome. Since the Icon A5 is an LSA, you can fly it without a current FAA medical with just a driver's license if you are in good health. You will still be a Private Pilot, but you will be exercising Sport Pilot privileges. That means daytime, VFR only, 3 miles visibility, LSA only, not above 10,000 MSL or 2,000 agl (whichever is higher), and with visual reference to the ground.

If your FAA medical was in force at any time since 7/15/2006, you can fly under the new Basic Med by having a physical from your regular MD using an FAA checklist. This physical needs to be updated every 4 years. You also need to take an on-line course every 2 years, I think. Anyway, under Basic Med, you are not under the Sport Pilot restrictions and can fly almost any aircraft you want with most, if not all, of your Private Pilot privileges.

You will need to get a Sport Pilot seaplane rating added to your Private Pilot certificate. It is easy and fun. I got mine at Jack Brown's seaplane base in Florida over two days. That included a total of about 5 hours flight time (no written) including the flight check. For a Sport Pilot add-on, you take instruction from one CFI and a flight check with another CFI. I suspect you will be able to obtain that at the ICON training location.

Of course, you will also need a flight review. That must be in an airplane for which you are currently rated. I suggest you get that before going to ICON. You can do that in a Cessna or some other aircraft. You won't need a current medical since the CFI will be PIC because you can't be PIC without a current flight review or current medical, or Basic Med.

About 5 years ago, I got back into flying after a 7 year absence. I was able to get a flight review in a C172 including 1 hour ground and 1 hour flight. I didn't have a medical at the time (still don't), so I immediately got a 2 1/2 hour transition checkout in a Cessna SkyCatcher (LSA) and have been flying that ever since.

You're in for a real treat flying that A5. I've never even seen one, but landing on the water is a lot of fun.

Last edited by TimTaylor on Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:37 pm, edited 7 times in total.

Welcome from North Carolina and congrats on flying again. I'm new here, too! Purchased the Vagabond that I will be flying under Sport Pilot rules. There's many knowledgeable folks here that can answer questions.

Thanks for the welcome Bill and hope you enjoy the vagabond. Any photos?

And thanks Tim for the welcome and the info. I'll schedule a fight review as you suggested and will likely go for the 3rd class medical while I can still pass it.Now to see if I can locate the on line ground class.

Thanks again for taking the time to set me going in the right direction.Jess

When did your last 3rd class expire? There is no reason to put yourself at risk if it expired even one day after 7/15/06. Of course, that's impossible, but it could have expired 7/31/06 or later. If so, you can do Basic Med. If you take a 3rd class physical and fail, you are done flying. You can not fly even as Sport Pilot unless you could qualify for a special issue. Don't take the risk if you don't need to. If all you plan to fly is the ICON, you can do that with a driver's license. Of course, you would be subject to the Sport Pilot privileges and limitations. The ICON is not certified for IFR. I don't know about night flight. So, Sport Pilot limitations might not be an issue in the ICON.

jessde wrote:Thanks for the welcome Bill and hope you enjoy the vagabond. Any photos?

Jess

Jess,

This Vag has a C85 engine, no electrical system and having plenty of fun flying the Vag. Piper built it out of many J3 Cub parts, SBS shorter fuselage, and clipped Cub wings. Very responsive ailerons, elevator and rudder. With the C85 engine it climbs at 900FPM solo, full fuel, at 80F.

My last 2nd class medical expired November 2006, had a BasicMed exam a year ago, but not planning to get another FAA Medical or BasicMed exam since the Vag can be flown under Light Sport rules.

Last edited by rideandfly on Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Jess, and welcome to Sport Pilot Talk. I live in San Francisco and keep my Zodiac LSA at Oakland North Field (KOAK). We're considering a move to Sonoma County (Santa Rosa) in the near future to get away from the hustle and bustle (and traffic) in the bay area.

jessde wrote:Thanks for the welcome Bill and hope you enjoy the vagabond. Any photos?

Jess

Jess,

This Vag has a C85 engine, no electrical system and having plenty of fun flying the Vag. Piper built it out of many J3 Cub parts, SBS shorter fuselage, and clipped Cub wings. Very responsive ailerons, elevator and rudder. With the C85 engine it climbs at 900FPM solo, full fuel, at 80F.

My last 2nd class medical expired November 2006, had a BasicMed exam a year ago, but not planning to get another FAA Medical or BasicMed exam since the Vag can be flown under Light Sport rules.

Bill, I suggest you keep up with Basic Med. You should have physicals more often anyway, so it's just the on-line course to do. You never know what the future may bring and you may want to fly a non-LSA. Where in NC is your plane? I'll be up there for the next two weeks.